SEATTLE — Starbucks founder and chairman Howard Schultz has told employees that bigotry, hatred and senseless acts of violence against 'people who are not white' cannot stand.

The comments follow last weekend's deadly violence following a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Schultz says it's hard to remain optimistic about the country's future 'in the midst of such a storm,' but he says he still is.

The Seattle-based company posted on its website an edited video of Schultz speaking at an employee forum.

Starbucks and Schultz have been outspoken on social issues.

He was not a member of either of President Donald Trump's two panels of business leaders that dissolved Wednesday after several CEOs stepped down in protest of Trump's comments on the rally.